Russell IPM’s Biorational Solutions for Agriculture Featured in BBC Interview

Image of tomato grower in Jordan proudly presenting his fruit after using one of Russell IPM’s natural microbial fertiliser and plant booster, Recharge.

Russell IPM has been leading the way in providing pheromone-based and scientifically-designed microbiological products that address agriculture’s most pressing problems.

A recognition of that came last week, when BBC 4 Radio’s Mariclare Carey Jones asked to interview Russell IPM’s founder, Dr Al-Zaidi. Their conversation was joined by the company’s Head of Research and Development, Dr Hassan and Horticultural Manager, Dr Sampson. The tour around the company’s manufacturing and R&D site in Deeside, Flintshire, focused on pheromones. Russell IPM integrates them into traps and systems that produce semio-chemical control over insects’ reproductive, feeding and communication behaviours. Russell IPM’s recent success in controlling the spread in Europe of Tuta absoluta, the tomato leaf miner, demonstrates that plants have their own defence systems, a fact that inspired the company’s biopesticides and plant-boosters. As Dr Hassan mentioned, the company is currently investigating this effect in another crop. In collaboration within a Innovate UK-funded project, Russell IPM is seeking to develop a non-toxic multi-species insect repellent.

More than one of the company’s products harness the power of plants in fighting diseases without pesticides. Last November, our line of scientifically developed sticky roller traps in specially selected colours and with insect-attracting patterns and pheromones won an international award for innovation. As Dr Sampson said, the new blue Optiroll traps have shown excellent results in field trials and can make a big difference in pest control when applied at the start the crop-planting season.

To find out more about the company and its biorational solutions, you can listen to the whole interview from this link: